'The marquis of Jin sent Han Xuanzi on this complimentary visit (With reference to duke Zhao's accession), and he came also to inform Lu that the administration of Jin was now in his hands;—which was acc. to rule. When he looked at the [various] documents in the charge of the grand historiographer and the Chunqiu of Lu, he said, "The institutes of Zhou are all in Lu. Now, indeed, I know the virtue of the duke of Zhou, and how it was that [the House of] Zhou attained to the royal dignity." The duke gave him an entertainment, at which Ji Wuzi sang the last stanza of the Mian (Shi, III. i. ode III.), and Hanzi sang the Jiao gong (Shi, II. vii. ode IX.). [When Hanzi had done], Ji Wuzi bowed to him saying, "I venture to make my acknowledgments for the kind feeling you express to our poor State. Our ruler may [now] have hope;" and he went on to sing the last stanza of the Jie (Shi, II. iv. ode VII.).

既享．宴于季氏．有嘉樹焉．宣子譽之．武子曰．宿敢不封殖此樹以無忘角弓．遂賦甘棠．宣子曰．起不堪也．無以及召公．

'When the entertainment was over, [Hanzi] went to a feast at Ji's, and praised a beautiful tree [in the garden]. Wuzi said, "Shall I not encourage the growth of this tree, so as not to forget the Jiao gong?" And he sang the Gantang (Shi, I. ii. ode V.), on which the other said, "I am not worthy of this. It is impossible for me to attain to be like the duke of Shao."

'[From Lu] Xuanzi went on to Qi, and presented the marriage-offerings [of the marquis]. Visiting there Ziya (the Gongsun Zao), [that prince] called [his son] Ziqi and introduced him, when Xuanzi said, "He is not one who will preserve his family. He has not the air of a subject." Visiting Ziwei (the Gongsun Chai), [that prince] introduced [his son] Qiang to him, of whom he said, "He is like Ziqi." Many of the great officers laughed at these remarks, but Yanzi believed them, and said, "He is a superior man. A superior man is to be believed; he has means of knowing what he says."

自齊聘於衛．衛侯享之．北宮文子賦淇澳．宣子賦木瓜．

'From Qi [Xuanzi] went on a complimentary visit to Wey, the marquis of which gave him an entertainment. Beigong Wenzi sang the Qi yu (Shi, I. v. ode. I.), and Xuanzi the Mu gua (I. v. ode X.)'

'In summer, in the 4th month, Han Xu (Son of Qi) went to Qi to meet the [marquis's] bride. Chen Wuyu escorted her—the young Jiang—to Jin, and was to be there till the completion of the marriage. She obtained favour with the marquis, who called her the young Qi. Thinking, however, on the circumstance that Wuyu was not of the rank of minister, he seized him in Zhongdu, but the young Jiang pleaded for him saying, "The escort was chosen according to the rank of your officer who met me. [Qi] stood in awe of your great State, and thought that it also might make a change, and so the disorder arose."

'Shu Gong [now] went to Jin, to return the visit of Xuanzi. The marquis sent to comfort and refresh him after the toils of his journey in the suburbs, but he declined the honour, saying, "When my ruler sent me to continue the old friendship [between our States], he gave me a strict charge that I should not presume to take the position of a guest. Let me communicate my message to your ministers, and the favour to our poor State will be great. I dare not trouble a messenger to come to the suburbs. Let me decline the honour." When a reception-house was assigned to him, he declined it, saying, "My ruler commissioned me to come here to continue the old friendship [between our States]. If I can but establish the friendly uuion, that is my reward. I dare not accept this great reception-house." Shuxiang said, "Zishuzi knows the rules of propriety. I have heard that loyalty and good faith are vessels containing the [principle of] propriety, and that humility and submission are essential things in it. In declining [the honours offered to him], he is not forgetful of his State;—thus showing his loyalty and good faith. His State is the first consideration with him, and himself the last;—thus showing his humility and self-abasement. The ode (Shi, III. ii. ode IX. 3) says, 'Be reverently careful of your demearour, In order to approximate to the virtuous.' He is one who approximates to virtue."

'In autumn, the Gongsun Hei was about to raise an insurrection, desiring to remove the chief of the You clan, and to take his place [in the govt.]. His wound (See the 4th narrative after par. 3 of last year), however, broke out afresh, and he did not carry out his purpose. The Si and the other great officers wished to put him to death, and when Zichan, who was in the borders, heard of it, he was afraid he should be too late, and hurried by rapid stages to the capital. [Arrived there], he sent an officer to enumerate in the following away his offences to Hei:——"At the time of the insurrection of Boyou (IX.xxx.7), being occupied with the business of the great State, we did not punish you; but your insubordinate disposition is insatiable, and the State cannot endure you. Your taking it on yourself to attack Boyou was one offence; your contention with your cousin about his wife (See the 4th nar. after par. 3 of last year) was a second; your acting as if you had been the ruler at the covenant of Xunsui (See the nar. after par. 4 of last year) was a third. With those three capital offences, how can the State endure you? If you do not quickly die [by your own hand], the great punishment will come upon you." Hei bowed twice with his head to the ground, and replied, "Death may occur any morning or evening; but do not you aid [the act of] Heaven by cruelty." Zichan said, "Who of men is exempted from death? but that bad men should not die a natural death, is the appointment. He who does bad villainous things is a villain. If we do not aid Heaven, shall we aid him?" Hei then begged that [his son] Yin might be made superintendent of the market, and Zichan replied, "If Yin have ability, the ruler will give him office; if he have not, he will [at any time] follow you, morning or evening. You have no consideration of your offences; how do you continue making such requests? If you do not quickly die, the minister of Crime will visit you."

七月．壬寅．縊．尸諸周氏之衢．加木焉．

'In the 7th month, on Renyin, Hei strangled himself, and his body was exposd in the street of Zhoushi, with [an inscription on] a board by it.'

晉少姜卒．公如晉．及河．晉侯使士．文伯來辭曰．非伉儷也．請君無辱．公還．季孫宿遂致服焉．

'The young Jiang, [married to the marquis] of Jin, having died, the duke was proceeding to Jin; but when he had gone to the He, the marquis sent Shi Wenbo to meet him, and decline his visit, saying, "She was not my equal wife. I beg you will not condescend to come further." On this the duke returned, and Jisun Su proceeded to Jin to present the grave-clothes [for the deceased.]

叔向言陳無宇於晉侯曰．彼何罪．君使公族逆之．齊使上大夫送之．猶曰不共．君求以貪．國則不共．而執其使．君刑己頗．何以為盟主．且少姜有辭．

'Shuxiang spoke to the marquis about Chen Wuyu, saying, "Of what offence was he guilty? You sent [a great officer of] a ducal clan to meet your bride, and [Qi] sent a great officer of the highest rank to escort her; and if you still say that was not respectful, you desire what was excessive. It was our State which was not respectful, and in seizing the messenger [of Qi], you are punishing him unjustly:——how can you thus be the lord of covenants? The young Jiang moreover, explained and interceded for him."

冬．十月．陳無宇歸．

In winter, in the 10th month, Chen Wuyu returned [to Qi].

十一月．鄭印段如晉弔．

In the 11th month, Yin Duan of Zheng went to Jin, to present the condolences of that State.